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Agenda Drinking Water Concerns in Cheltenham and Springfield

August 7,2OL8

a State Representative Steve McCarter


lntroductory remarks

a Springfield Commissioner Eddie Graham


Brief remarks

a Cheltenham Commissioner Drew Sharkey


Brief remarks

a State Senator Art Haywood


Brief remarks

lntroduction of Panel:

o Marc Lucca, President, Aqua Pennsylvania

o Patrick Patterson, Region lll Director, PA Department of Environmental


Protection

o Laura Anderko, PhD, RN, Director, Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health
and the Environment

o Kyle Zieba, Office of Community and Government Relations,


US EPA Region lll

o Christopher Crockett, PhD, Vice President and Chief Environmental Officer,


Aqua America

Questions from Audience

o FinalComments
List of terrns
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
ATSDR is directed by congressional mandate to perform specific functions concerning the effect on
public health of hazardous substances in the environment. These functions include public health
assessments of waste sites, health consultations concerning specific hazardous substances, health
surveillance and registries, response to emergency releases of hazardous substances, applied research in
support of public health assessments, information development and dissemination, and education and
training concerning hazardous substances.

Bureau of Safe Drinking Water


The Bureau of Safe Drinking Water is under the auspices of the PA Department of Environmental
Protection. lt manages the federally delegated drinking water program and implements both the federal
and state Safe Drinking Water Act and associated regulations.

Carcinogen
A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide or radiation that is an agent directly involved in causing
cancer. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic
processes.

Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)


ln 1996, Congress began requiring all community water systems to deliver to their customers an annual
water quality report called the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). The CCR is a document that provides
consumers information about the quality of drinking water in an easy-to-read format. The CCR
summarizes information that your water system already collects to comply with federal and state
regulations. lt includes information about the source(s) of water used (i.e., rivers, lakes, reservoirs or
aquifers), chemical contaminants, bacteriological contaminants, compliance with drinking water rules,
educational health information, water system contact information and public participation
opportunities.

Delaware Riverkeeper Network


Established in 1988, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network (DRN) is a nonprofit 501(cX3) membership
organization that works throughout the four states that comprise the Watershed -- including
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and New York -- and at the federal level on the issues, actions,
regulations, legislation, policies, programs and decisions that impact the health of the Delaware River
Watershed waterways. DRN's For the Generations lnitiative is a nationwide effort designed to help
advance constitutional rights to pure water, clean air and a healthy environment.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)


The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent agency of the United States federal
government for environmental protection and regulation. The Environmental Protection Agency can act
only under the authority of statutes ultimately passed by Congress. Congress has the power to authorize
or prohibit certain actions. Appropriations statutes authorize how much money the agency can spend
each year to carry out the approved statutes. The EPA has the power to issue regulations. A regulation is
a standard or rule written by the agency to interpret a statute, apply it in situations and enforce it.
Congress allows the EPA to write regulations in order to solve a problem, but the agency must include a
rationale for why the regulations need to be implemented.

Environmental Quality Board (EQB)


The Environmental Quality Board (EQB) is a 2O-member independent board that adopts all of the
Department of Environmental Protection's regulations. lt is chaired by the Secretary of the Department
of Environmental Protection. The EQB also considers petitions to change regulations.

GAC filter
A filter with granular activated carbon (GAC) is a proven option to remove certain chemicals, particularly
organic chemicals, from water. GAC filters also can be used to remove chemicals that give objectionable
odors or tastes to water such as hydrogen sulfide (rotten eggs odor) or chlorine.

Health Advisory
Health advisories provide information on contaminants that can cause human health effects and are
known or anticipated to occur in drinking water. EPA's health advisories are non-enforceable and non-
regulatory and provide technical information to state agencies and other public health officials on health
effects, analytical methodologies, and treatment technologies associated with drinking water
contamination.

House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee


Committee for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)


Maximum Contaminant Levels are standards that are set by the US EPA for drinking water quality. An
MCL is the legal threshold limit on the amount of a substance that is allowed in public water systems
under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The limit is usually expressed as a concentration in milligrams or
micrograms per liter of water.

Pennsylvania DEP
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is the agency in the state of
Pennsylvania responsible for protecting and preserving the land, air, water and public health through
enforcement of the state's environmental laws. The DEP is charged with the responsibility for
development of a balanced ecological system incorporating social, cultural and economic needs of the
commonwealth through development and protection. The DEP is responsible for the state's land, air and
water management programs, all aspects of environmental protection, and the regulation of mining
operations.

Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC)


The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission ensures safe and reliable utility service, protects public
interest and educates consumers.

PFOS & PFOA


(perfl uo rooctane sulfonate & perfluorooctanoic acid)
PFOS and PFOA are part of a larger group of chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
(PFASs). PFASs are a group of human-made chemicals that do not occur naturally. PFOA and PFOS have
been extensively studied and produced. Both chemicals do not break down easily in the environment or
in the human body, meaning that they can accumulate over time. Although they are no longer
manufactured in the United States, they are still produced internationally and may be imported into the
US in consumer goods such as carpet, leather, textiles, paper, rubber and plastics. There is evidence that
exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects.

Reverse osmosis filtration


Reverse osmosis is a water purification technology that uses a semipermeable membrane to remove
ions, molecules and larger particles from drinking water. ln reverse osmosis, an applied pressure is used
to overcome osmotic pressure. Reverse osmosis can remove many types of dissolved and suspended
species, including bacteria, from water and is used in both industrial processes and the production of
potable water.

Safe Drinking Water Act


The Safe Drinking Water Act is the principal federal law in the United States intended to ensure safe
drinking water for the public. Pursuant to the act, the Environmental Protection Agency is required to
set standards for drinking water quality and oversee all states, localities and water suppliers that
implement the standards.

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)


The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is a United States law, passed by the United States Congress in
I976 and administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency that regulates the
introduction of new or already existing chemicals. When the TSCA was put into place, all existing
chemicals were considered to be safe for use and subsequently grandfathered in. lts three main
objectives are to assess and regulate new commercial chemicals before they enter the market, to
regulate chemicals already existing in 7976 that posed an "unreasonable risk to health or to the
environment" (such as PCBs, lead, mercury and radon)and to regulate the distribution of these
chemicals and their use.

Sources & Resources:

www.atsdr.cdc.gov

www.epa.gov/ccr

www.delawa reriverkeeper.org

www.epa.gov

www.dep. pa.govlPu blicParticipation/Envi ronme nta lQua itv/Pages/defau lt.aspx


I

www.dep. pa.gov/Pages/defau lt.aspx

www.puc.pa.gov
http ://www.wate rfacts. com/faqs/

(Copied from the website & printed on 8/6/18 as of 1 :S8 pm)

What are PFOA, PFOS and PFAS?

Perfluorochemicals are a family of manmade chemicals that have been


used for decades as an ingredient to make products that resist heat, oil,
stains, grease and water, and are extremely resistant to breakdown in the
environment.

Common uses include: 1) nonstick cookware, stain-resistant carpets and


fabrics, 2) coatings on some food packaging-especially microwave
popcorn bags and fast food wrappers, 3) firefighting foam, and 4) many
industrial applications. PFOA and PFOS are fluorinated organic chemicals
that are part of a larger group of chemicals referred to as perfluoroalkyl
substances (PFASs).

PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of
these chemicals. They have been used to make carpets, clothing, fabrics
for furniture, paper packaging for food and other materials (e.g., cookware)
that are resistant to water, grease or stains. They are also used for
firefighting at air fields and in a number of industrial processes.

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ls my water safe to drink?

Yes. The water provided by Aqua tests well below the current U.s.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health advisory levels for
PFOA/PFOS and is safe to drink. Testing to date has not detected levels
over the EPA Health Advisory of 70 parts per trillion at active sources. Both
the EPA and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
consider this level protective of public health.

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Who is responsible for regulating PFAS in drinking water?

ln Pennsylvania, the EPA and PA DEP set and regulate water standards
The EPA identifies the contaminants to regulate in drinking water, and they
set regulatory limits for amounts of certain contaminants. The EPA
currently regulates 90 chemicals in drinking water with "limits" called
maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). Aqua uses the EPA's maximum
contaminant levels to ensure water quality.

There are some contaminants for which the EPA develops health
advisories that do not have set regulatory limits. The health advisories
provide technical information on health effects. PFAS are included in those
contaminants that have no regulatory limit but are associated with a health
advisory.

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Why is PFAS in the news?

In recent years, the presence of two contaminants - Perfluorooctanoic acid


(PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), known together as
PFAS - in drinking water supplies has become a concern across the
country and around the world. PFAS is of particular concern in areas of
eastern Montgomery and Bucks counties, Pa., where groundwater
contamination from PFAS is believed to originate from nearby military
bases.

The EPA has jurisdiction over setting health advisory levels for water
contaminants in the U.S., including PFAS. The EPA's current health
advisory level is 70 parts per trillion for both contaminants, combined, as
set in May 2016.

Since 2016, there has been ongoing public concern and pressure in
impacted communities to further reduce the presence of PFAS in public
drinking water sources below the current EPA health advisory level.

As a result, the EPA is holding public sessions in impacted communities


across the country to hear directly from the public and other stakeholders
about how to best help communities facing this issue. The intelligence
gathered through these sessions and other methods will help to inform the
EPA's PFAS management plan, slated for release in the Fall of 2018.

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What is a part per trillon (ppt) equivalent to?

One paft per trillion is the equivalent of one grain of sand in an Olympic-
size swimming pool. The EPA's lifetime health advisory sets a combined
limit of 70 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS.

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Why is PFAS an issue in Southeastern Pennsylvania?

It is believed that groundwater in certain areas of eastern Montgomery


County have been contaminated with PFoA and PFOS as a result of
previous firefighting activity at nearby military bases.

The water Aqua provides to customers in this area is a blend of multiple


sources of treated groundwater and surface water.

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What is Aqua doing to address the issue?

Since the EPA announced a PFAS Health Advisory Level of 70 parts per
trillion in 2016, Aqua has taken proactive measures to ensure that we are
delivering safe water that meets all federal and state health requirements.
These include:

a lnvesting in equipment for regular in-house analysis;


Installing granular activated carbon (GAC) filters on two systems with
the highest level of PFAS, ensuring that all active water sources are
far below the 70 PPT health advisory level;
a Completing engineering evaluations of the Neshaminy water
treatment plant and evaluating impacts of the National Guard's
treatment system on levels in the creek; and
a Continually evaluating alternative treatment options, including ion
exchange resins and other technologies.

Beyond operational efforts, Aqua is committed to educating customers and


the public on PFAS through our dedicated website, WaterFacts.com, and
through meetings with stakeholders. These actions include.
Regularly sharing updated laboratory results and PFAS information
on WaterFacts.com, and sending proactive notifications as new
results are posted;
a Attending meetings for the BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure)
with the U.S. Navy, Air Force, EPA, PA Department of Environmental
Protection and other agencies to learn more about local and national
efforts to address PFAS; and
a Being proactive participants surrounding this issue on the national
level, participating in the May 2018 National Leadership Summit by
the EPA on PFAS.

Bolstered by our work over the past two years, Aqua continues to move
fonruard with our plan to address PFAS in the anticipation of regulations.
Our PFAS action plan employs a tiered approach, starting with systems of
highest PFAS concentrations and evaluating the best actions. This plan
includes:

. Evaluating the use of various sources to meet system demands,


coupled with their PFAS concentrations, to understand the relative
importance of each source in overall system operation;
. Making capital investments;
. Reviewing and anticipating related operational expenses where
necessary; and
. Adjusting or removing sources of supply.

Developing this action plan for all sources is ongoing and may take some
time due in part to the regional and interconnected nature of our systems,
which require coordination with various local, state and federal
stakeholders. As an industry leader, Aqua remains steadfast in its
commitment to addressing this issue and we look forward to the EPA and
DEP issuing a rule that will help further guide our actions.

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What would happen if any of Aqua's water sources tested higher than
the EPA's health advisory level?

lf levels above the current HAL are detected, our customers, the EPA, and
the PA DEP will be immediately notified of the results and of our planned
remedial actions.
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How did the EPA set its Health Advisory Level for PFoS and PFOA?

EPA's current health advisory levels were calculated to offer a margin of


protection against adverse health effects to the most sensitive populations:
fetuses during pregnancy and breastfed infants. The health advisory levels
are calculated based on the drinking water intake of lactating women, who
drink more water than other people and can pass these chemicals along to
nursing infants through breastmilk. The levels were also based upon the
exposure to the chemical for 70 years drinking 2 liters (8 glasses) of
drinking water per day. lt also assumes 20 percent of the individual
exposure to PFAS comes from drinking water and 80 percent comes from
home and environmental (non-drinking water) exposures.

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Can I use any home devices to remove PFAS?

Global public health organization NSF lnternational has developed a test


method and protocol to verify a water treatment device's ability to reduce
perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) to
below the health advisory levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).

Consumers can find NSF lnternational-approved devices by


visiting htto.//info.nsf.o rtified/DWTU/

(Click on "reduction devices" at the bottom of the page for PFOS and
PFOA).

More information can be found here.

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What are the health implications of PFAS exposure?


We encourage customers with health concerns or questions to contact the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for information relating to PFAS
exposure

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ls there a requirement for water providers to test for PFAS on a


weekly or monthly basis?

No, there is no current requirement for testing for the presence of PFAS on
a weekly or monthly basis. Since PFAS are not regulated, there is no
requirement by the U.S. EPA or Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection to monitor for these contaminants. The only
monitoring that occurred was required between 2013 and 2015 by the U.S.
EPA as part of a national research effort called UCMR3.

Since then, following findings of high concentrations of PFAS in the general


area of the naval air station near Horsham, Aqua Pennsylvania voluntarily
decided to proactively test for the presence of PFOS/A in our water sources
in eastern Montgomery County. This decision was intended to ensure the
results remain below the U.S. EPA's health advisory level. Aqua routinely
updates its findings and shares them here so customers can stay informed.

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How quickly does Aqua Pennsylvania obtain results from the time the
Company initiates testing?

It varies, but under ideal circumstances, we have results to our experts for
review as soon as two weeks from sampling. However, our laboratory does
large volumes of testing that is required by environmental agencies for our
day-to-day operations, which can impact our schedule for PFOS/A testing
and posting to our website. For comparison, outside laboratories have
taken up to two months to get us results. We know communities are eager
to get these results sooner, and so we've invested in the capability to
conduct these tests in-house, which lets us get the information to you
sooner.
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I have a question that wasn't answered on this website. What should I


do?

lf you have additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact


Aqua at 877.987 .2728 or email us at custservreplv@AquaAmerica.com.
PFAS in Southeast Pennsylvania Updated Attgust 7, 2018

AOUA
a-.-
At Aqua Pennsylvania, our mission is to protect and provide Earth's most essential resource. We
vigilantty guard the safety and quatity of our customers'drinking water every day. When something
interferes with that mission, we take it very seriousty. Here, we outtine the PFAS issue in southeast
Pennsylvania, and steps we're taking to address it.

Background on PFAS in Southeast Pennsytvania


ln recent years, the presence of two contaminants - Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and
Perftuorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), known as parts of the PFAS famity of chemicats, in drinking
water suppties has become a concern in areas of eastern Montgomery County and Bucks County
where groundwater contamination from PFAS is betieved to originate from nearby military bases.

ln May 2016, the U.S. Environmentat Protection Agency, charged with setting standards for drinking
water safety and quatity, reptaced its 2009 provisionaI heatth advisories for PFAS with a lifetime
heatth advisory levet of 70 parts per trittion for both contaminants, assigning a lower advisory [eve[
for the chemicals in our water. This [eve[ is not currentty a regutatory limit. Residents, community
leaders, etected officials and water utitities, inctuding Aqua, have urged the EPA to adopt a
scientificatty based strong regutation, address the source of the contamination, and provide
recommendations for effective treatment. tm rtant to note at[ active ua water sou
inctudjn-q your drinkinq water source, have atways fa[[en below that health advisory levet.

Aqua's PFAS Action Ptan


Without additional guidance from the EPA on a PFAS regutation, we are votuntarity moving to
reduce our PFAS levets as far betow the current heatth advisory as possibte. Our action plan
inctudes addressing systems with PFAS concentration from highest to lowest, and evatuating the
best actions for each. This includes evatuating the use of various sources to meet water suppty
demands, considering their PFAS concentrations, to understand the retative contribution of each
source in overat[ system operation and importance to overattwater safety; reviewing and
anticipating retated operationatexpenses where necessary; and adjusting or removing sources of
suppty.

White we have and are continuing to take action on wetls with the highest concentrations of PFAS,
instituting this action ptan for attsources is ongoing and may take some time due in part to the
regionatand interconnected nature of our systems, which requires coordination with various locat,
state and federaI stakehotders.

Aqua's Ongoing Efforts to Address PFAS


Aqua's PFAS ptan buitds off the actions we have taken over the past two years to further address
this important issue. These include:
o lnvesting in equipment for regutar in-house testing to guide decision-making;
. lnstattation of GAC fitters on two systems with the highest [eve[ of PFAS in 2017, ensuring
atl active water sources are betow the 7O PPT heatth advisory levet;
. Completing engineering evaluations of the Neshaminy water treatment plant and
evatuating impacts of the NationaI Guard's treatment system on tevets in the creek; and
r Continualty evatuating atternative treatment options, including ion exchange resins and
other technotogies.

Beyond operational efforts, Aqua is committed to educating customers and the pubtic on PFAS
through our dedicated website, WaterFacts.com, and through meetings with stakehotders. These
actions inctude:
. Regutarly sharing updated [aboratory results and PFAS information on WaterFacts.com,
and sending notifications each time new resutts are posted;
o Hosting information sessions with affected township and state officials so communities
stay informed;
. Attending meetings with the U.S. Navy, Air Force, EPA, PA Department of Environmental
Protection and other agencies to [earn more about locatand nationatefforts to address
PFAS; and
. Being proactive participants surrounding this issue on the nationa[ levet, participating in
the May 2018 NationaI Leadership Summit by the EPA on PFAS.

As an industry leader, Aqua remains steadfast in its commitment to addressing this issue and we
look forward to the EPA and DEP issuing a rule that wi[[ hetp further guide our actions.

More lnformation
Please visit WaterFacts.com for up-to-date information on how Aqua is addressing PFAS in your
community and to sign up for aterts when additionat information is posted. lf you have additionat
questions or woutd like information about wetl sources that serve your home, ptease contact us at
877 .9 87 .27 82 o r c u stse rve re p [y@Aq u aAm e ri ca. co m.

For more information, please contact Aqua:


Phone: 877 987 2782
Email: custservre uaAmerica.com

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